NATIONALS INFORMATION | The College Classic

THE 2026 COLLEGE CLASSIC

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION

Welcome to the 2026 College Classic National Championship!

We are beyond thrilled to celebrate this milestone year with you in Orlando, Florida! Whether you’re a longtime participant or experiencing The College Classic for the very first time, we are honored that you’ve chosen to make us part of your journey.

This season holds extra meaning as we proudly celebrate 10 years of Dance Team Union and our 9th College Classic competition, taking place April 10-12, 2026 at the Orange County Convention Center West Complex.

At The College Classic, we believe that these moments go far beyond what happens on the competition floor. They are about the passion, perseverance, and teamwork that brought you here—the countless hours of practice, the unwavering support of families and fans, and the commitment of coaches and athletes who make it all possible. Our mission has always been to create an experience that honors each athlete, coach, and supporter as an essential part of this growing movement in the spirit community.

We wish every team the very best of luck this season. Thank you for being part of this landmark year with us, and for continuing to embrace the movement:

BE BOLD. BE AUTHENTIC. BE YOU.

- THE COLLEGE CLASSIC CREW

The Battle

A unique feature of The College Classic Nationals is our high-energy Battle. The primary purpose of the Battle Rounds is to promote a fun, supportive environment for selected teams in various styles of dance and cheer to showcase their routines for each other and the viewing audience. It's also a chance for athletes to cheer each other on and compete head-to-head in a super-hyped environment for the pride of winning the Battle Cup.

The Battle consists of three parts, described below. The evening will kick off with our Tumble Rumble, followed by the Pyramid Battle, and end with Jazz, Hip Hop, Team Performance, and Pom Dance Battles.

The Tumble Rumble is the first of the exciting battle competitions! Each cheer team can nominate one athlete to represent their team in the Tumble Rumble. These athletes will showcase a running tumbling pass and a standing tumbling pass. One athlete will earn the Tumble Rumble Battle Cup.
The second competition of the night is the Pyramid Battle. This Battle features cheer teams selected to showcase the pyramid section of their competition routine. After the performances, the judges will select one winner to award the Pyramid Battle Cup.
The last portion of the Battle will be the Dance Battles, consisting of Jazz, Hip Hop, Team Performance, and Pom styles. After the performances in each style are finished, the judges will select one winner for that style's Battle.

The College Classic will conduct the Battle Rounds in accordance with the following guidelines:

Every team is eligible to be invited to the Battle; however, not all preliminary division leaders may be invited to participate in the Battle as invitations will be limited to 2-5 teams depending on the style.
Judges will not score or critique routines. Instead, they will select a Battle champion based on performance quality, showmanship, and style representation.
In the interest of allowing teams to see and cheer on all other participating teams, no team may perform more than once in the Battle.
Invitations to Battle Rounds may be extended after preliminary rounds, taking into account performance quality, entertainment value, and judge recommendations.
A schedule for each Battle will be released prior to the event, but specific performance times will not be disclosed in advance.
Battle Round results do not affect official Championship standings, which are based solely on Finals performance and scoring.

Award Ceremonies

The College Classic will host Award Ceremonies on the last evening of the competition. All advancing finalists will receive trophies, while National Champions will receive banners, rings, and jackets. Registered athletes and coaches will each receive one jacket and one ring, regardless of the number of titles won.

In addition to trophies for all finalists, Specialty Awards will be given to a few teams in special categories, including "WOW Moment" Awards and "Be Bold" Awards.

Video critiques, score sheets, and team rankings from the final round of competition will be made available in team registration accounts following the last Award Ceremony.

The Awards Ceremonies will be livestreamed for free on The College Classic website for those unable to attend in person.

The Spirit Program Award

This award is presented at the final awards ceremony of The College Classic National Championship. It is given to the program with the highest combined score from both Cheer and Dance teams. The winning program will work with our media team to produce a custom video that represents their program and can be used for storytelling, promotion, or recruitment for the upcoming season.

Champion Zone

A "Champion Zone" will be hosted for National Champion teams where they will be fitted for rings and jackets. Following the awards ceremonies, the coaches of the winning teams will be texted by a College Crew member with their assigned time slot for the Champion Zone. Fans will be allowed to enter the Champion Zone for photos with their team in front of a National Champion banner during their scheduled time.

Detailed Competition Results

The College Classic values transparency! Within a reasonable amount of time after the competition, all teams will receive a detailed Excel file containing total scores and rankings for all teams in all rounds of competition. Teams are encouraged to review this file, as it is intended to be extremely helpful in interpreting the results of nationals and preparing for next year’s competition season.

Competition results will be posted periodically throughout the competition on The College Classic's website.

Admission

All coach and participant registration includes the cost of admission for all days of competition.

All spectators should purchase their admission online in the weeks leading up to the event. Admissions bought online will be available for pick-up at the admission desks when the competition begins. Admission can also be purchased on-site, which will be cashless. Children 5 years and younger are free. The 10% charge added to ticket sales includes Florida taxes and service charges.

An announcement will be made via email and on social media when tickets are available for purchase on The College Classic website, expected to begin a few weeks before the event.

Livestream

Livestream access for the competition can be purchased on The College Classic website during the week of the event. This all-access pass provides entry to all sessions of the competition, including Spirit Showdown sessions, Team Preliminaries, Team Semifinal Rounds, and Team Finals. Please note that livestream purchases are non-refundable.

The results and awards ceremonies will be available to watch for free on a separate livestream. This stream will include The Battles and Awards Ceremony.

The competition livestream is broadcast in real-time and does not offer rewind or replay options. Since it's live, any moments you miss cannot be viewed later.

Coach Communication

The College Classic emphasizes the importance of communication and community throughout the season. Coaches are encouraged to join the Band app for all nationals-related communication.A link to join the Band app will be emailed to all registered coaches by The College Classic. Coaches who do not receive the link should contact AJ Oliver at abbyjo@thecollegeclassic.com.

Coach Meetings

While not mandatory, coaches are strongly encouraged to attend one of the scheduled Coach Meetings. These meetings will exclusively address concerns and provide briefings pertinent to coaches. They will cover all essential details of the weekend and provide ample opportunity to address any inquiries. Specific dates, times, and locations for the Coach Meetings will be available on the Band app.

Event Check-In Location

The tab labeled Map of Events on this page will show the location of all events on a detailed floor plan so you can find your way to the right location. The location for Event Check-In for all attendees will be noted on this page as well as a more detailed coach info packet to be shared a few weeks prior to the event. Note that Event Check-In could be at the Orange County Convention Center or at one of The College Classic's host hotels.

Coach/Team Check-In

At The College Classic team check-in desk, staff will verify each team’s registration information. Coaches will receive their lanyards, athlete bands, coach gift bag, welcome banner, and all complimentary fan t-shirts.

REGISTRATION DESK ESTIMATED HOURS:
Thursday: 12:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

If teams arrive before the desk opens, they will need to wait until staff open the desk for the day to check in with The College Classic. Those arriving at the hotel after the registration desk closes on Thursday should check into their hotel rooms first and then proceed to The College Classic check-in the following day.

Once coaches have completed check-in with The College Classic staff, their next stop will be the hotel front desk. There, coaches will check into all rooms in their registration and pick up room keys. Incidentals have been requested to be turned off for all team rooms, but coaches can choose to turn them on for their own room with the hotel staff. Please be aware that rooms may not be available before the official hotel check-in time. If arriving earlier than the hotel check-in time, the hotel will assist with storing luggage until the rooms are ready.

Event Security

Below are the emergency action plans for the Hyatt Regency Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) for The College Classic National Championship event. These documents outline procedures to follow in case of emergencies such as imminent threats, medical emergencies, or fires.

Orlando Plus Security (OPS) will be present on-site to assist in emergencies, collaborating with the Hyatt and OCCC security teams who operate continuously.

Security awareness is a shared responsibility among all attendees.

In the event of a life-threatening emergency, individuals should dial 911 and specify their location within the building. Following the call to 911, individuals should notify OPS, who will collaborate with the building's security team to evaluate the situation and decide on any required additional resources.

For any observations of suspicious or unusual activity, individuals are encouraged to promptly contact OPS. OPS will then inform the building's security team and initiate appropriate measures.

Health and Safety Policy

The College Classic will adhere to all current venue, local, state, and federal health and safety guidelines during Nationals.

To review the health and safety protocols specific to each venue, please click the links provided below.

March Draw

The Draw for the preliminary round performance order is hosted on The College Classic website to determine the competition performance order for the Championship, emphasizing transparency and fairness in scheduling.

The Draw is scheduled for mid-March on The College Classic website. A detailed schedule specifying which divisions will be drawn and their order will be published the week prior to the event.

Adjustments to categories (such as Pom, Jazz, All-Girl Cheer) must be submitted by the Friday before The Draw. Following The Draw, changes to the number of performing athletes in routines are only permitted in cases of documented injury or school disciplinary action. The College Classic reserves the right to request sufficient written evidence to verify such claims.

Teams submitting division or category changes after The Draw will perform first in their respective group. Any routine number changes resulting in a division change must be made before the event begins; changes made after the event starts will retain the routine's original division.

The College Classic may adjust the performance order if The Draw results in conflicting performance times for a team, aiming to minimize changes whenever feasible. The final schedule will be released shortly after the completion of The Draw.

Drawing for Performance Order On Site

Even if there are multiple preliminary groups, we will combine all finalists for a category into one ranked list of finalists based on preliminary score, and then draw for competition order as follows:

Finalists in categories with six or more finalists will compete in sub-groupings with lowest scores competing first, based upon their scores from the previous round, but within each sub-grouping, teams will draw for random order.
Finalists in categories with five or fewer finalists will compete in reverse order of their preliminary scores.

We may have to change the performance order of a team if the draw results in performance times that conflict with each other; however, we will try to avoid changing the order whenever possible.

The College Classic adopted this finals draw approach by carefully balancing two principles: (1) wanting to reward teams who finished highest in preliminary competition with a later performance time and have the most closely matched teams performing close together, while (2) allowing for a clean slate going into finals, with no known hierarchy of teams that might prejudice a judge’s perception. Our approach mirrors the approach used in major sports such as figure skating and gymnastics.

Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)

Wayfinding Map

The Orange County Convention Center has an all-new mobile navigation app available to download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad as well as on Google Play, making it easier to explore the country’s second-largest convention center. We believe this will be an invaluable tool for our attendees in finding the locations and pathways to each event within our Championship.

The OCCC Campus app, which can be found by searching for the “Orange County Convention Center” in either app store, elevates and further enhances the 22Miles software-based wayfinding kiosks that were installed at the OCCC in early 2018. The new mobile tool offers turn-by-turn directions for users as they navigate the campus.

Entrances to the OCCC West Building

The competition area will be located in the Orange County Convention Center West Building. Attendees traveling from the Hyatt Regency or Rosen Centre can use a skybridge to cross the street into the OCCC West Building. One Hyatt Regency skywalk is adjacent to the MarketPlace, and the other is near the Hyatt's ballroom area at the top of the escalators in the Hyatt's rotunda. Please refer to the maps below.

Attendees planning to park should use the West Parking Lot located behind the building. Teams arriving by bus should be dropped off at the Westwood Lobby Entrance, also adjacent to the West Parking Lot. After entering through the doors on Level 3, take the escalators down to Level 2, which leads to the West C Lobby, then proceed to the competition halls.

TCC - West Level 2 - Skybridge Entrances (1).png

OCCC West Building Map of Events

The Map of Events will be updated on this page in the weeks leading up to the event.

Hyatt Regency Orlando

Hyatt Regency Building Map

See the Hyatt Regency's building maps below, which include the hotel map and the Hyatt's convention center map.

Click the images to expand your view.

NEW -HRO Meeting Space Map. 4 Meeting Floors 7.20.23.png

Hyatt Regency Map of Events

The Map of Events will be updated on this page in the weeks leading up to the event.

Sky Bridge Pathways

Each space that TCC will occupy during our event is circled in red. The yellow lines on the map show the Sky Bridge pathways that connect the buildings.

Click the images to expand your view.

Master Classes

The College Classic will provide a variety of master classes in different styles the day before the competition begins. A detailed schedule and sign-up form will be available closer to the event. Participation in these classes is optional, offering teams and individual athletes a valuable opportunity to connect with others who share a passion for dance and cheer.

Further details about the Master Class Instructors and session times will be announced closer to the event date.

Prodigy Convention

Hosted by Prodigy, this exclusive event will take place at the DTU National Championship in February! The Prodigy Convention is designed to connect recruiters with talented dancers, creating a one-of-a-kind opportunity for scouting, networking, and career development. Dancers will showcase their skills while recruiters gain direct access to potential talent for college programs, professional companies, and entertainment opportunities.

The Prodigy Convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando on Thursday, February 5 before the competition begins, featuring both morning and afternoon sessions. Each session will include different presenters and opportunities for interaction, and dancers are welcome to register for one or both. A full schedule will be shared with registrants as the event approaches.

If you’re interested in attending as a recruiter to scout for your college team at the convention, please reach out to Abby Jo at abbyjo@thecollegeclassic.com for more information.

Meal Options

Below is information to assist in planning team meals during Nationals. Suggestions for booking team transportation can be found in the "Transportation" tab.

Orange County Convention Center

Centerplate, in collaboration with the Orange County Convention Center, will offer a variety of meal and grab-and-go options during the competition. Food stations will be situated in the hallway adjacent to the event area. The carts will open between 7-11 AM and close between 7-9 PM on competition days. The menu will feature a diverse selection including coffee, pastries, sandwiches, pizza, BBQ, chicken, smoothies, waffles, crepes, and more. Explore the types of food carts and their menus that may be offered by clicking HERE.

Hyatt Regency Hotel

All College Classic attendees will receive a 10% discount at the Hyatt's on-site outlets, excluding the 24-Hour Market, in-room dining, and alcohol. To claim this discount, show any of the following College Classic event credentials to the hotel staff: coach lanyard, athlete wristband, or admission wristband. For inquiries about private dining, email mcoro-events.sh@hyatt.com.

The Market Place at the Hyatt operates 24/7 and is conveniently situated between the hotel lobby and the convention center. It provides a variety of offerings including hot meals, snacks, and coffee. Additionally, guests can enjoy the culinary experiences at The B-Line Diner and Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse, both esteemed sit-down restaurants offering full table service. For a more relaxed dining atmosphere, Coconuts Poolside Grill also offers excellent food choices. Explore on-site restaurants and find more information by clicking HERE.

Rosen Centre Hotel

The Rosen Centre features Red’s Deli, a 24-hour market offering a selection of sandwiches, soups, salads, pizzas, and additional items. Guests can also enjoy a range of sit-down dining options onsite, such as Everglades Restaurant, Café Gauguin, and Banshoo Sushi Bar. For casual or quick dining options, explore the menu at Harry’s Poolside Bar and Grill or the Smooth Java Coffee Bar. For more information on their food options, visit their website by clicking HERE.

Hilton Orlando Hotel

Inside of the Hilton there is a market that is open 24 hours a day! The Scratch Market offers hot food, snacks, & coffee. FastBreak and TodoVos are two great options offered by the Hilton! These are sit-down restaurants where someone will serve you at your table. There are also great food options at the Tropics Pool Bar and Grill. For more information on their food options, visit their website by clicking HERE.

International Drive

The College Classic package hotels, situated on International Drive, are conveniently close to numerous dining options, attractions, entertainment venues, and more. Explore everything the area has to offer on the I-Drive website. Consider purchasing affordable tickets for the I-RIDE Trolley for team bonding during a night out.

Disney Springs: Planet Hollywood

To book a team dinner at Planet Hollywood, individuals can contact them directly at 407-827-7836, or complete the reservation form available by clicking HERE to secure a reservation directly with the restaurant.

Universal City Walk: Hard Rock Café

To book a team dinner at the Hard Rock Café, use the contact form on their website linked HERE.

Prepping Competition Music

For information on our Rules regarding competition music, visit our Rules and Scoresheets page, click the button labeled "Divisions, Rules, and Scoresheets" and select Section VI: Music.

Uploading Music

Coaches are required to upload performance music in registration accounts by the Monday before the competition begins. To upload music, log in to your registration account and select the pink "Upload Music" button on the Nationals registration dashboard. If the music is not uploaded to the registration account properly before all files are downloaded, coaches will be responsible for providing their own music on site using an aux cord.

Music On-Site

During scheduled marley floor or cheer mat practice times, teams are responsible for playing their own music. For official warm-ups before competition performances, music that teams uploaded to their registration accounts will be on a laptop available at the warm up table. Each warm-up floor will have a College Crew member stationed to play music upon coaches' instructions, or coaches may opt to play their own music.

Coaches must ensure they bring a backup of their music that can be played via an auxiliary cord for both warm-ups and performances. An adapter for smart phones will be provided by The College Classic. When teams are ready to perform on the competition floor, coaches should signal to the music table with a "thumbs up" to start playing the routine music.

Changes to Music On-Site

If changes are made to the music on site, coaches will be responsible for playing their music via aux cord at all warm-up and performance times.

Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Theme Park tickets can be booked during registration at special rates. Orders and payment must be completed by the deadline provided during registration. Tickets ordered and paid for by the deadline will be given at Event Check-In unless requested to ship during registration. Failure to make payment by the deadline will result in the inability to fulfill the ticket order. Purchase orders (POs) will not be accepted, and full payment is required by the deadline. Any ticket orders with an outstanding balance after the deadline will be canceled.

All park ticket orders are non-refundable.

The discounted ticket types that The College Classic offers are listed below and will be available for purchase through team registration accounts only.

2 Park 1 Day Park-to-Park
2 Park 2 Day Park-to-Park
2 Park 3 Day Park-to-Park
3 Park 2 Day Park-to-Park
3 Park 3 Day Park-to-Park

Walt Disney World

While The College Classic does not sell Disney Theme Park tickets through our registration system, we’ve partnered with WorldStrides to offer exclusive discounted group tickets. We highly encourage you to reach out to them to see what’s available and get your order started—they’re the best way to make the most of your Disney experience! For assistance, contact Gretchen Noack, Dance Travel Specialist, at Gretchen.Noack@Worldstrides.com or 866-656-6105.

Other Nearby Attractions

The College Classic package hotels, situated on International Drive, are conveniently close to numerous dining options, attractions, entertainment venues, and more. Explore everything the area has to offer on the I-Drive website. Consider purchasing affordable tickets for the I-RIDE Trolley for team bonding during a night out.

Event Photos

Event photos will be taken throughout the weekend, capturing team preliminaries, semifinals and finals. Photos will also be taken during the battles and awards ceremonies. These photos will be available for purchase at kiosks during competition hours and online. Additionally, the photography company will accept online orders in the weeks following the competition.

Merchandise

The College Classic will have competition apparel available for purchase starting the day before the competition begins, and through the end of the event. The apparel company may also accept online orders for a limited time following the event.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation penalties for event registration are listed below for each cancellation deadline.

Prior to February 1st: No penalty
February 1st through March 15th: $100 per person
On or after March 15th: Full forfeiture

See our Terms of Service for more information. All credit and debit card fees are non-refundable.

Change Policy

For submitting changes to team registration, individuals should log in to their registration account and update details before each specified deadline in the registration process. Email submissions for changes will not be accepted.

Adjustments to categories (such as Pom, Jazz, All-Girl Cheer) must be submitted by the Friday before The Draw. Following The Draw, changes to the number of performing athletes in routines are only permitted in cases of documented injury or school disciplinary action. The College Classic reserves the right to request sufficient written evidence to verify such claims.

Teams submitting division or category changes after The Draw will perform first in their respective group. Any routine number changes resulting in a division change must be made before the event begins; changes made after the event starts will retain the routine's original division.

In instances where a participant originally assigned to a shared room no longer attends, the room rate will be adjusted accordingly based on the new room occupancy. For example, if one person cancels their registration in a 4-person room, the room will be reclassified as a 3-person room, and the rate for each remaining occupant will be adjusted accordingly.

Routine Policy

There is no minimum or maximum time limit for any routine; however, dance teams must notify The College Classic upon registering and no later than two weeks before the competition if a pom, jazz, hip hop, or team performance routine is longer than 2 minutes and 30 seconds, for scheduling purposes. See more detailed information about our routine requirements in the Rules and Scoresheets.

Waivers & Acknowledgement of Rules

Participants' medical waivers and the Coach's Acknowledgement of Rules and Scoresheets will be managed through each team's online registration account. The current season's Rules and Scoresheets can be accessed from the website's menu.

It is mandatory for every participant to have their medical waiver completed prior to arrival or engaging in any related activities such as videotaping or master classes. Teams staying on site will not be issued room keys until all waivers have been signed. Detailed instructions for completing waivers can be found on our Rules and Scoresheets page.

Please note: If you attended a DTU camp or regional competition this season and have not changed participants, previously submitted waiver forms remain valid. New participants must have a completed medical waiver on file before their team can receive room keys or participate in any Nationals events.

Team Registration

Team registration will open in the fall. Priority registration will be available one week earlier for those who have completed the VIP Access Package. See our Nationals webpage for this season's pricing packet. Click HERE to view a helpful instructional video for registering for Nationals.

Participant registration includes three routines. Participants who are performing in more than three routines will be charged $50 for each additional routine. Athletes who plan to attend with multiple programs that register separately (dance team and cheer team) are considered to be crossovers and will be charged $100 per crossover. If you will have a crossover athlete attending with your program, please email us at registration@danceteamunion.com for directions on how to register correctly.

The registration website is accessible through the menu on our website. First, coaches should submit the participant and coach roster, then add a new registration and select Nationals from the event list. All athletes will be required to have a medical waiver on file for the season within the registration account. Please visit our Rules and Scoresheets page if there are any questions about the levels/categories offered at The College Classic National Championship.

To guarantee hotel room reservations, you must register and pay your entire invoice in full by the standard registration deadline. If your invoice still has a balance once the deadline has passed, your registration pricing will increase to the late rate. Unpaid reservations will not be guaranteed until full payment is made. School POs will be accepted but we must receive the school check by the due dates.

The College Classic will accept school checks, booster checks, money orders, cashier checks, or credit card payments for team accounts. Personal checks will not be accepted and will be returned to the sender if received. The invoice number and team name should be included in the memo of checks to ensure the payment is applied to the correct invoice. All check payments should be made payable to Dance Team Union and sent to the mailing address below.

P.O. Box 1207
Nolensville, TN 37135

All credit card payments must be made through online registration accounts. A 3.7% fee will be added to all credit card payments and these fees are non-refundable.

Division Splits and Semifinal Round Determinations

Cheer divisions that will be split by size will be determined by the number of males registered in the routine. Additionally, The College Classic often splits Division I schools into DI and DIA. These division splits can be found in our Rules and Scoresheets. The College Classic may also combine divisions, at its discretion, to maintain the competitive nature of the event.

Divisions that will include a semifinal round will be determined after registration closes.

Schedule of Events

The estimated schedule of events for the week of The College Classic National Championship is listed below. This schedule is only an estimate and is subject to change.

EVENT CHECK-IN: Thursday morning through Friday evening
TEAM PRACTICES: Friday all day
MASTER CLASSES: Friday evening
COACH MEETING: Friday evening
TEAM PRELIMS/SEMIFINALS: Friday evening through Saturday evening
TEAM FINALS: Saturday evening through Sunday afternoon
BATTLE & AWARDS: Sunday afternoon

The College Classic will release a tentative block schedule that will detail competition session time blocks. The official preliminary schedule detailing the order of performance will be released after The Draw in March (see The Draw tab for details).

Marley and Mat Practice Time

The College Classic will provide practice time on the warm-up marley floors and the cheer mats before the competition begins. Once the competition starts, practice time will not be available. Practice times will be assigned after each team submits a time slot request. A sign-up form for selecting preferred time slots will be released a few weeks before the competition. Each team will receive a minimum of 10 minutes of practice time per routine.

Technical Consultant

The coach of a team or athlete is responsible for monitoring the safety of each element of a routine and determining that it is safe to perform. The character of the skills being performed, as well as the skill level of the athletes performing those skills, should be considered by the coach in making this determination. All of the skills listed in our Rules and Scoresheets as well as any other movement should be evaluated for safety by the advisor/coach prior to competition.

At Nationals, a technical consultant will be available during practice time and official warmups to assist coaches with any questions or issues they have regarding the safety of their routines.

During our regional competition season, dance teams may request the assistance of a dance technical consultant. If an advisor/coach is unsure of the safety of the skill, he or she can submit a video of the activity in question on our Rules and Scoresheets page. If a team has received approval for a trick from another competition, they may rely on that approval for safety consideration purposes. Performing a trick or skill at a DTU regional or virtual event does not guarantee that the trick or skill is approved to be safely performed at Nationals - we highly recommend submitting a video as detailed above to ensure there are no safety issues raised by our consultant at Nationals.

Warm-Up

Dance teams and mascots will check in 30 minutes before their performance time and warm up 20 minutes before their performance time. Warm up for dance routines in the preliminary, semifinal, and final rounds will be 6 minutes long.

Cheer teams and partner stunts will check in 35 minutes before their performance time and start the warm-up rotation 5 minutes later. The rotation will start with 5 minutes on the tumbling strips, then transition to 5 minutes on the half mat for stunts, then to the full mat for 6 minutes for routine run-through. The performance time will be about 14 minutes after the routine warm-up is through.

As soon a team's warm-up time is up, the next team's warm-up will begin. Please be courteous of other teams getting on and off the warm-up floors.

Spirit Showdown

We will have Spirit Showdown categories for dance separately from cheer, as well as a combined cheer and dance category: Super Spirit Showdown. The Cheer Spirit Showdown and the Super Spirit Showdown will be performed on cheer mats while Dance Spirit Showdown will be on the marley performance floor.

For Super Spirit Showdown and Rally Dance: Because teams’ content should be very team-, school- and/or community-specific in these categories, and judges may not understand the routine out of context, The College Classic will allow teams to submit a short description of the routine being showcased and how it fits the category. The submission form is linked below. Judges will have access to this information during the judging process.

CLICK HERE FOR SUBMISSION FORM

The College Classic has split the Dance Spirit Showdown into two divisions: Game Day and Rally Dance. See below for brief descriptions of these categories. See the score sheets for more details. No semifinal rounds will be held for Spirit Showdown divisions.

Spirit Showdown - Game Day:

This division lets teams showcase dance routines performed as part of a spirit-raising program at school events. A Game Day routine at DTU competitions or The College Classic will have two sections:

1. Spirit Raising Routine: Includes one or more of the following: fight song routine, sideline dance routine, stand routine, and/or drum cadence.
2. Performance Routine: Any style routine designed to appeal to the crowd at a school event, like a sporting event.

There is no time limit, and the focus should be on dance, not cheerleading. Coordinated cheers or chants without dance elements will not be judged. No specific dance skills, like leaps or acrobatic tricks, are required.

Spirit Showdown - Rally Dance:

This division allows teams to perform choreography for events like pep rallies or halftime shows, showcasing unique elements of their hometown, school, or team. There are no required movements, and entertainment value and creativity each make up 20% of the score. Props and audience involvement are allowed, and any dance style or combination can be used. Teams should connect with the audience and provoke an emotional response. Spirit Showdown divisions are not a cheerleading or song-leading competition, and teams should not feel bound to be “traditional” or focus on “sideline/halftime spirit raising” in deciding upon choreography, costuming or music.

Preliminary Team Competition

All teams competing will either advance to the finals or compete in the semifinal round. Preliminary scores will determine the finals performance order, as described in The Draw tab.

Teams' scores will not be announced on a rolling basis. Instead, finalists will be announced after all performances in a division in that arena have concluded, followed by the draw for performance order. Detailed score sheets, total scores for all teams in the division, and video critiques will be available within a reasonable time after the performance order draw.

Semifinal Round

The Semifinal Round at The College Classic Nationals offers a unique opportunity for teams that do not advance to the finals after the preliminary round to compete again for a spot in the finals. Participation in the Semifinal Round is optional, but teams must notify The College Classic if they choose not to participate to ensure an accurate and efficient schedule.

Performance times for the Semifinal Round may be scheduled as soon as one hour after the preliminary performance. Therefore, teams should frequently check the performance schedule on The College Classic website. For more detailed information about the Semifinal Round, please refer to the Rules and Scoresheets.

Finals Competition

All teams receive a clean slate for finals – scores do not carry over from the preliminary or semifinal rounds. However, teams will be grouped “figure skating style” after preliminary and semifinal rounds for the purpose of drawing for finals order, so that top finishing preliminary teams compete later in the order generally. See The Draw tab for details on how performance order is determined. All results will be announced at our final awards ceremonies.

Travel Information

All teams must complete a Travel Itinerary form, regardless of whether they are driving or flying in, to facilitate the planning of coach arrivals at the Event Check-In desk.

The College Classic offers complimentary bus transportation between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and the designated package hotels for guests who purchase a hotel package. This service is available only during the scheduled shuttle bus times outlined below and is subject to the specified terms and conditions.

Submitting Travel Information

Please note that complimentary transportation to and from Orlando International Airport (MCO) is available only to those who have purchased the hotel package. If spectators are traveling with the team or are registered under the coach’s account, the coach must submit their travel information. For teams arriving or departing individually, multiple submissions are required. The College Classic cannot guarantee transportation for flight itineraries submitted after the due date.

Airport Transportation Schedule

The College Classic will provide transportation from the MCO airport to the hotel for teams who purchase a College Classic hotel package, according to the transportation schedule below. Please consider these hours when booking your flights to MCO. Teams on flights landing outside of these specified hours will be responsible for their own transportation. Transportation to and from other airports or stations will not be provided.

While booking your travel, please consider the competition schedule of events posted on the Schedule tab. The College Classic will not be able to make special accommodations to the event schedules for those arriving outside of the specified time frames.

Note that if you are an individual who lands at Terminal C, you will need to find your way to Terminal A for pick up.

Arrival Transportation Schedule - MCO Airport to College Classic Hotels
Wednesday: first bus departure at 12:00 p.m. to last bus departure at 11:00 p.m. (flight MUST land by 10:00 p.m.)
Thursday: first bus departure at 8:00 a.m. to last bus departure at 11:00 p.m. (flight MUST land by 10:00 p.m.)
Friday: first bus departure at 8:00 a.m. to last bus departure at 5:00 p.m. (flight MUST land by 4:00 p.m.)

The final transportation of the day will depart from the airport at the scheduled time listed above and will not return to the airport. The College Classic will monitor flight delays and provide transportation for delayed flights only for full teams.

Departure Transportation Schedule - College Classic Hotels to MCO Airport
Monday: first bus departure at 3:00 a.m. to last bus departure at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday: first bus departure at 3:00 a.m. to last bus departure at 6:00 p.m.

The final transportation of the day will depart from the hotel at the scheduled time listed above and will not return to the hotel or wait for any teams.

Private Transportation

WorldStrides/Specialty Travel Programs

WorldStrides/Specialty Travel Programs can help coaches plan and book a successful and well-organized trip to Nationals. They offer services including flight research and booking, assistance with purchasing The College Classic's hotel packages, and arranging additional activities, group meals, trip cancellation insurance, and more. For assistance, contact Gretchen Noack, Travel Specialist, at Gretchen.Noack@Worldstrides.com or 866-656-6105.

Mears Transportation

TCC teams can take advantage of special discounted pricing with Mears Transportation, a valuable option for booking additional transportation during the event week.

Prices below include gratuity.

54-passenger Motor Coach Round Trip: $684.00

54-passenger Motor Coach Charter: 5 hour minimum $779.00. Additional hours at $155.80

54-passenger Motor Coach One Way: $526.30

25-passenger Minibus Round Trip: $584.25

25-passenger Minibus Charter: 5 hour minimum $698.25. Additional hours at $139.65

25-passenger Minibus One Way: $449.35

Round Trip Service:
Mears' round trip service is tailored for destinations in the immediate Orlando area. It includes a one-way transfer to your destination with the return trip later the same day. To ensure smooth operations, precise pickup times must be pre-scheduled for both the outbound and return journeys. Any delays exceeding 15 minutes will result in billing at the charter rate. Please note that Mears' vehicles do not stay with the group between trips, so personal items cannot be left on board. Additionally, a different driver and vehicle may be assigned for your return trip.

Charter Service:
Mears' charter service offers flexibility and convenience for groups needing transportation within the contracted time frame. The vehicle remains with your group throughout the specified period, allowing for multiple stops and trips as needed. This service is particularly recommended for group dinners or occasions where flexibility in pickup times is essential.

One Way:
Mears' one-way service provides a straightforward transfer option for destinations within the immediate Orlando area. It includes a single transfer to your destination with a pre-scheduled pickup time. Similar to Mears' round trip service, delays exceeding 15 minutes will be billed at the charter rate to ensure timely service.

Airport Transfers:
For transfers outside of Mears' designated DTU window or to airports other than MCO, please contact Mears Transportation directly for applicable pricing and arrangements.

For reservations and to inquire about Mears' special DTU pricing, please reach out to Erin Leonhardt at eleonhardt@mears.com or call 407-254-0440. Please note that vehicle availability and pricing are subject to change.

On-Site Parking

Hyatt Regency Orlando Parking

For those who purchased The College Classic hotel package at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, parking at the Hyatt Regency Orlando is discounted to $20 from $35 per day if parking is confirmed with the hotel front desk upon check-in. This discounted parking is for in and out privileges by using a hotel key at the parking gate.

For commuting teams and those who did not purchase a hotel package, the most up-to-date parking rates and information can be found on the Hyatt Regency Orlando website.

If teams travel to Nationals on their own using bus transportation and require bus parking, contact the Hyatt Regency Orlando directly for space availability. There is very limited space for bus parking and will be reserved on a first come, first serve basis.

Orange County Convention Center Parking

For the most up-to-date parking information, visit the Orange County Convention Center website. The Orange County Convention Center operates three parking lots with accessible parking available. Overnight parking is not allowed at the Orange County Convention Center. The Orange County Convention Center is now cashless and accepts Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

Rosen Centre and Hilton Orlando Parking

For the most up-to-date parking information, visit the hotel websites listed below.

Rosen Centre Hotel Website

Hilton Orlando Hotel Website

Venue Addresses

The competition will be at the Orange County Convention Center West Complex. Other events and hotel rooms will be at the addresses listed below.

Orange County Convention Center West Complex

9800 International Drive

Orlando, FL 32819

Hyatt Regency Orlando Hotel

9801 International Drive

Orlando, FL 32819

Rosen Centre Hotel

9840 International Drive

Orlando, FL 32819

Hilton Orlando Hotel

6001 Destination Pkwy

Orlando, FL 32819

Performance Area

The marley performance floor for all competition floors will be 60 feet wide by 50 feet deep. There will be a total of 12 marley panels on the floor and each panel will be 5 feet wide. The warm up floors may have smaller dimensions but will be marked accordingly.

The cheer performance floor will be a non spring floor that is 54 feet wide by 42 feet deep. There will be a total of 9 mat sections and each panel will be 6 feet wide. For cheer warm-up, tumbling strips, a half mat for stunts, and a full cheer mat floor will be provided for routine warm-up.

Mascot routines will perform on marley dance floors. Stunt routines and Super Spirit Showdown routines will perform on a full cheer mat.

With our current plans for competition flow, teams will enter from upstage right and exit upstage left. If this changes, we will update this page and notify coaches.

Coaches may sit in the front viewing area designated for coaches only. There will be a waiting area for coaches to sit during the routines before their team's performance only.

Seating Area

The performance venue will have audience seating, and the judges will be seated above and behind such seating. Spectators can come and go from their seats only between performances and during competition breaks. There will be no standing permitted in front of the stage so that the judges' view is not blocked.

Fan Zone

At The College Classic, fans are invited to sit on the ground in front of the competition floor to support their team. The viewing area directly in front of the floor is reserved exclusively for coaches and fans of the performing team. Once their team's performance concludes, these fans should promptly vacate the area.

To ensure smooth flow in the Fan Zone, The College Classic will provide staff to guide fans towards the front of the stage area. Coaches and fans are advised to proceed to their designated waiting area on the left one performance before their team is scheduled to perform. The walkway in front of the central seating must remain clear and accessible at all times.

Following the conclusion of the previous team’s performance, coaches and fans can move into the Coach Box and Fan Zone respectively. Those in the Fan Zone are required to remain seated throughout the entire performance. After the team's performance, coaches should proceed backstage, and fans should promptly exit to the right.

Table of Contents

Admission & Livestream
- Admissions
- Livestream
Battle & Awards
- The Battle
- Award Ceremonies
- The Spirit Program Award
- Champion Zone
- Detailed Competition Results
Coach Info
- Coach Communication
- Coach Meetings
Event Check-In
- Event Check-In Location
- Coach/Team Check-In
Event Safety
- Event Security
- Health and Safety Policy
The Draw
- March Draw
- Drawing for Performance Order On Site
Maps
- Orange County Convention Center (OCCC)
  - Wayfinding Map
  - Entrances to the OCCC West Building
  - OCCC West Building Map of Events
- Hyatt Regency Orlando
  - Hyatt Regency Building Map
  - Hyatt Regency Map of Events
- Sky Bridge Pathways
Master Classes & Recruitment
- Master Classes
- Prodigy Convention
Meals
- Orange County Convention Center
- Hyatt Regency Hotel
- Rosen Centre Hotel
- Hilton Orlando Hotel
- International Drive
- Disney Springs: Planet Hollywood
- Universal City Walk: Hard Rock Cafe
Music
- Prepping Competition Music
- Uploading Music
- Music On-Site
- Changes to Music On-Site
Park Tickets
- Universal Orlando Resort
- Walt Disney World
- Other Nearby Attractions
Photos & Merch
- Event Photos
- Merchandise
Policies
- Cancellation Policy
- Change Policy
- Routine Policy
- Waivers & Acknowledgement of Rules
Registration
- Team Registration
- Division Splits and Semifinal Round Determinations
Schedule
- Schedule of Events
- Marley and Mat Practice Time
- Technical Consultant
- Warm-Up
- Spirit Showdown
- Preliminary Team Competition
- Semifinal Round
- Finals Competition
Transportation
- Travel Information
  - Submitting Travel Information
  - Airport Transportation Schedule
- Private Transportation
  - WorldStrides/Specialty Travel Program
  - Mears Transportation
- On-Site Parking
  - Hyatt Regency Orlando Parking
  - Orange County Convention Center Parking
  - Rosen Centre and Hilton Orlando Parking
Venue
- Venue Addresses
- Performance Area
- Seating Area
  - Fan Zone

Questions?

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